Web development is one of those skills that are learned by doing. I don’t care who you think you are, you won’t master this skill by reading books on the subject. You have to study and do the work. Here is a good website for starting: W3Schools. I am curious as to the best method for acquiring this skill, but in the mean time, I am looking for ways to improve. Like anything, if you want to do something with excellence, you have to practice your skill over and over again. Precision is not the short term goal, but practice is.
What better way to improve your web skills then to volunteer your time to help someone build their website. I recently had a friend over to look over her website that she was currently unhappy with. I would call it flat- no life. I saw this as an opportunity to expand my knowledge of web development, so I volunteered my “new” web skills and in addition, to host the site since I have a unlimited plan with BlueHost. I’m excited about doing this, but also a little concerned that I may not hit the design out of the park. I love well designed web sites but having the skills to do it is a different animal. I recently received a free full version of Balsamiq Mockups which enables you too quickly mockup a web design with pick and place icons. I plan to write a review after I use it over the next few weeks. From first impressions, it looks like a great app. It will set you back $79 for the full version. A free version is available but doesn’t allow you to save multiple mock-ups or link them pages together.
In addition to my friends website, I have also started volunteering for a entrepreneurial organization whose website lacks the sparkle of many of the new up and coming organizations with similar objectives in keeping people engaged. I hope to help in this arena. I have done allot of reading in regards to designing great websites and attracting viewers, but like anything else, I have to do something if I want to get anywhere with my goals.
Macbook PowerCurl
